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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 61: Lakṣmaṇa restrains Rāma’s anger

Summary. He rejects destroying the world for one offender and urges a search and persuasion before resorting to force

Sequence

  1. Seeing Rāma poised for destruction, Lakṣmaṇa appeals to his usual restraint and concern for living beings (3.61.1–5)
  2. he says they do not yet know who owned or wrecked the chariot → although the ground clearly shows a fight, it shows no great army, so the evidence does not justify blaming the world for one offender's act (3.61.6–9)
  3. he reminds Rāma that the natural and divine worlds need not be his enemies (3.61.10–11)
  4. he proposes that they search together, with the paramarṣis’ help, through oceans, mountains, forests, caves, lakes, and even the deva- and gandharva-lokas until they identify the abductor (3.61.12–14)
  5. first they should try inquiry and persuasion → only if these fail should Rāma use force against those responsible. (3.61.15–16)

Verses 3.61.1–16

3.61.1

tapyamānaṃ tathā rāmaṃ sītāharaṇakarśitam
lokānām abhave yuktaṃ sāmvartakam ivānalam

Rāma, tormented thus and wasted by the abduction of Sītā, fit to bring about the destruction of the worlds like the fire of universal dissolution—

Words: tapyamānaṃ — being tormented, burning; tathā — thus; rāmaṃ — Rāma; sītāharaṇakarśitam — wasted by the abduction of Sītā; lokānām — of the worlds; abhave — for the destruction, annihilation; yuktaṃ — fit, suited; sāmvartakam — the fire of world-dissolution; ivānalam — like fire

3.61.2

vīkṣamāṇaṃ dhanuḥ sajyaṃ niḥśvasantaṃ muhur muhuḥ
hantukāmaṃ paśuṃ rudraṃ kruddhaṃ dakṣakratau yathā

gazing at his strung bow, sighing again and again, like the angry Rudra bent on slaying the sacrificial victim at Dakṣa's sacrifice—

Words: vīkṣamāṇaṃ — gazing at; dhanuḥ — the bow; sajyaṃ — strung, fitted with a string; niḥśvasantaṃ — sighing, breathing hard; muhur muhuḥ — again and again; hantukāmaṃ — desirous of slaying; paśuṃ — the sacrificial victim, beast; rudraṃ — Rudra; kruddhaṃ — enraged; dakṣakratau — at Dakṣa's sacrifice; yathā — like, as

3.61.3

adṛṣṭapūrvaṃ saṃkruddhaṃ dṛṣṭvā rāmaṃ sa lakṣmaṇaḥ
abravīt prāñjalir vākyaṃ mukhena pariśuṣyatā

seeing Rāma enraged as never before, Lakṣmaṇa, with palms joined, spoke these words with a face gone dry:

Words: adṛṣṭapūrvaṃ — never seen before; saṃkruddhaṃ — greatly enraged; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rāmaṃ — Rāma; sa — he; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; abravīt — spoke; prāñjalir — with palms joined; vākyaṃ — words; mukhena — with (his) face; pariśuṣyatā — drying up, parched

3.61.4

purā bhūtvā mṛdur dāntaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ
na krodhavaśam āpannaḥ prakṛtiṃ hātum arhasi

Having formerly been gentle, self-controlled, and devoted to the welfare of all beings, you ought not, fallen under the sway of anger, to forsake your true nature.

Words: purā — formerly; bhūtvā — having been; mṛdur — gentle; dāntaḥ — self-controlled; sarvabhūtahite — in the welfare of all beings; rataḥ — devoted to, delighting in; na — not; krodhavaśam — under the sway of anger; āpannaḥ — fallen into, having come to; prakṛtiṃ — (your) nature; hātum — to abandon; arhasi — you ought

3.61.5

candre lakṣṇīḥ prabhā sūrye gatir vāyau bhuvi kṣamā
etac ca niyataṃ sarvaṃ tvayi cānuttamaṃ yaśaḥ

In the moon is beauty, in the sun radiance, in the wind motion, in the earth forbearance; all this is fixed—and in you is unsurpassed glory.

Words: candre — in the moon; lakṣṇīḥ — beauty, splendour; prabhā — radiance; sūrye — in the sun; gatir — motion; vāyau — in the wind; bhuvi — in the earth; kṣamā — forbearance, patience; etac ca — and this; niyataṃ — fixed, constant; sarvaṃ — all; tvayi — in you; cānuttamaṃ — and unsurpassed; yaśaḥ — glory, fame

3.61.6

na tu jānāmi kasyāyaṃ bhagnaḥ sāṃgrāmiko rathaḥ
kena vā kasya vā hetoḥ sāyudhaḥ saparicchadaḥ

But I do not know whose is this shattered war-chariot, nor by whom or for what reason it was broken, with its weapons and its trappings.

Words: na tu jānāmi — but I do not know; kasyāyaṃ — whose is this; bhagnaḥ — broken, shattered; sāṃgrāmiko — of war, battle-; rathaḥ — chariot; kena vā — or by whom; kasya vā hetoḥ — or for what reason; sāyudhaḥ — with its weapons; saparicchadaḥ — with its trappings, equipment

3.61.7

khuranemikṣataś cāyaṃ sikto rudhirabindubhiḥ
deśo nivṛttasaṃgrāmaḥ sughoraḥ pārthivātmaja

And this ground, torn by hooves and wheel-rims and sprinkled with drops of blood—O prince, a most dreadful place where a battle has just ended.

Words: khuranemikṣataś — torn by hooves and wheel-rims; cāyaṃ — and this; sikto — sprinkled, wetted; rudhirabindubhiḥ — with drops of blood; deśo — place, region; nivṛttasaṃgrāmaḥ — where the battle has ended; sughoraḥ — most dreadful; pārthivātmaja — O son of a king, prince

3.61.8

ekasya tu vimardo 'yaṃ na dvayor vadatāṃ vara
na hi vṛttaṃ hi paśyāmi balasya mahataḥ padam

This was the struggle of one alone, not of two, O best of speakers; for I see no sign, no footprint of a great host.

Words: ekasya tu — but of one; vimardo 'yaṃ — this conflict, struggle; na dvayor — not of two; vadatāṃ vara — O best of speakers; na hi — for not; vṛttaṃ — occurrence, trace; hi — indeed; paśyāmi — I see; balasya — of an army, host; mahataḥ — great; padam — footprint, track

3.61.9

naikasya tu kṛte lokān vināśayitum arhasi
yuktadaṇḍā hi mṛdavaḥ praśāntā vasudhādhipāḥ

You ought not to destroy the worlds for the sake of one alone; for kings who wield the rod justly are gentle and tranquil.

Words: naikasya — not for one's; tu — but; kṛte — for the sake of; lokān — the worlds; vināśayitum — to destroy; arhasi — you ought; yuktadaṇḍā — wielding the rod justly; hi — for, indeed; mṛdavaḥ — gentle; praśāntā — tranquil, calm; vasudhādhipāḥ — lords of the earth, kings

3.61.10

sadā tvaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ śaraṇyaḥ paramā gatiḥ
ko nu dārapraṇāśaṃ te sādhu manyeta rāghava

You are ever the refuge of all beings, their supreme resort; who, O Rāghava, would deem the loss of your wife a light matter?

Words: sadā — always; tvaṃ — you; sarvabhūtānāṃ — of all beings; śaraṇyaḥ — refuge, protector; paramā — supreme; gatiḥ — resort, recourse; ko nu — who indeed; dārapraṇāśaṃ — the loss of (your) wife; te — your; sādhu — rightly, good; manyeta — would think, deem; rāghava — O Rāghava

3.61.11

saritaḥ sāgarāḥ śailā devagandharvadānavāḥ
nālaṃ te vipriyaṃ kartuṃ dīkṣitasyeva sādhavaḥ

Rivers, oceans, mountains, gods, gandharvas and dānavas are unable to do you harm, as good men cannot harm one consecrated for a sacrifice.

Words: saritaḥ — rivers; sāgarāḥ — oceans; śailā — mountains; devagandharvadānavāḥ — gods, gandharvas and dānavas; nālaṃ — are not able; te — to you; vipriyaṃ — harm, disservice; kartuṃ — to do; dīkṣitasyeva — as (to) one consecrated; sādhavaḥ — good men, the virtuous

3.61.12

yena rājan hṛtā sītā tam anveṣitum arhasi
maddvitīyo dhanuṣpāṇiḥ sahāyaiḥ paramarṣibhiḥ

Him by whom Sītā was carried off you ought to seek out, O king—with me as your companion, bow in hand, and with the great seers as helpers.

Words: yena — by whom; rājan — O king; hṛtā — was carried off; sītā — Sītā; tam — him; anveṣitum — to seek out; arhasi — you ought; maddvitīyo — with me as your second, companion; dhanuṣpāṇiḥ — bow in hand; sahāyaiḥ — with helpers, companions; paramarṣibhiḥ — with the great seers

3.61.13

samudraṃ ca viceṣyāmaḥ parvatāṃś ca vanāni ca
guhāś ca vividhā ghorā nalinīḥ pārvatīś ca ha

We shall search the ocean, the mountains and the forests, the caves manifold and dreadful, the lotus-ponds, and the mountain streams.

Words: samudraṃ ca — and the ocean; viceṣyāmaḥ — we shall search; parvatāṃś ca — and the mountains; vanāni ca — and the forests; guhāś ca — and the caves; vividhā — manifold, various; ghorā — dreadful; nalinīḥ — lotus-ponds; pārvatīś ca ha — and the mountain streams

3.61.14

devagandharvalokāṃś ca viceṣyāmaḥ samāhitāḥ
yāvan nādhigamiṣyāmas tava bhāryāpahāriṇam

With minds intent we shall search even the worlds of the gods and gandharvas, until we track down the one who abducted your wife.

Words: devagandharvalokāṃś ca — and the worlds of gods and gandharvas; viceṣyāmaḥ — we shall search; samāhitāḥ — composed, with concentrated minds; yāvan — until; nādhigamiṣyāmas — we shall not find; tava — your; bhāryāpahāriṇam — the abductor of your wife

3.61.15

na cet sāmnā pradāsyanti patnīṃ te tridaśeśvarāḥ
kosalendra tataḥ paścāt prāptakālaṃ kariṣyasi

If the lords of the gods will not restore your wife by conciliation, then afterwards, O lord of Kosala, you shall do what the hour demands.

Words: na cet — if not; sāmnā — by conciliation; pradāsyanti — will give back, restore; patnīṃ — the wife; te — your; tridaśeśvarāḥ — the lords of the gods; kosalendra — O lord of Kosala; tataḥ paścāt — then afterwards; prāptakālaṃ — what suits the occasion, the timely deed; kariṣyasi — you will do

3.61.16

śīlena sāmnā vinayena sītāṃ nayena na prāpsyasi cen narendra
tataḥ samutsādaya hemapuṅkhair mahendravajrapratimaiḥ śaraughaiḥ

If by good conduct, conciliation, courtesy, and diplomacy you do not recover Sītā, O king of men, then root them out with floods of gold-feathered arrows that match the thunderbolt of mighty Indra.

Words: śīlena — by good conduct; sāmnā — by conciliation; vinayena — by courtesy, humility; sītāṃ — Sītā; nayena — by diplomacy, policy; na prāpsyasi — you will not obtain; cen — if; narendra — O king of men; tataḥ — then; samutsādaya — root out, destroy; hemapuṅkhair — with gold-feathered (arrows); mahendravajrapratimaiḥ — matching the thunderbolt of mighty Indra; śaraughaiḥ — with floods of arrows

← 3.60 Traces of Sītā’s abduction · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.62 Lakṣmaṇa recalls Rāma’s own teaching →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

Plain text: /text/3/61.md · JSON: /data/3/61.json